1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to high volume brewing apparatus and methods and more specifically to brewing apparatus and methods for cleaning beverage holding tanks.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 C.F.R. 1.97-1.99
For large gatherings of people, such as conventions, large banquets, etc., there is a need for huge volume coffee production systems. These known systems produce six gallons of coffee at a time in six gallon removable urns and can also store up to two hundred forty gallons of coffee in one or more 60 gallon holding tanks to which the freshly brewed coffee is selectively automatically transferred. The removable urns are kept in hot water filled liners in which the water is kept hot by means of an electrical, gas or other heating element. Likewise, the storage, or holding tanks, have liners in which is circulated the heated water to keep stored coffee hot.
The coffee is often directly into a cold urn and transferred from the urn into a cold holding tank which can dramatically effect the serving temperature and reduce the amount of time the coffee will be at a presentable serving level.
The holding tanks must be kept warm with a hot water liner which circulates through the thinly hollowing lining of the urn or by a heating element located within the urn which can burn the beverage and create an undesirable taste.
Upon the draining of the holding tank often there is a residue, such as oils and stains, covering the interior surfaces of the urn which must be removed prior to storage or further use. This residue, if allowed to build up over time, can cause blockage of the serving valve and taint the taste of the freshly brewed beverage.
It is known to soak the holding tanks with hot water to attempt to remove the residue from the interior surfaces of the holding tank and soaking is not always effective. A proper cleaning of the holding tanks requires a person climb into the holding tank to scrub and rinse the interior surfaces of the holding tanks which can be very time consuming.